Trundle Boomers captain-coach Adam Hall is expecting the defending premiers to hit their straps in this year’s Woodbridge Cup semi-finals.
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Breaking through for a grand final triumph in 2017 and then backing up this winter with the club’s third straight minor premiership, Trundle enjoyed week one of the 2018 series off and will on Sunday host Grenfell in the major semi-final, the winner earning the first place in the September 2 grand final at Manildra.
Despite seemingly coasting on top of the ladder for the entire year, Hall says the Boomers battled commitment issues mid-season which resulted in the club’s impressive 22-game winning run coming to an end in round 15.
That 32-22 loss to Grenfell at Berryman Oval stung and with a near full-strength Boomers line-up preparing for Sunday’s grand final qualifier, minus that complacency that crept in mid-season, Hall is confident Trundle can book a fourth-straight decider appearance.
“Definitely, we’re as close to full strength as we’ve been all year so there’s no excuses for us,” Hall said.
“I think we’ve found our motivation again. We had a few commitment issues during the year but getting players back helps, it lifts everyone, and we’re all keen to hook in.”
Grenfell and Trundle split the ledger throughout the regular season, the Boomers’ 34-24 victory in the first round followed up by the Goannas’ 10-point win at Trundle later in the year.
Grenfell will be without ex-NRL halfback Joe Williams, the former Souths star having not played enough games to qualify for the finals.
Still, Hall says Grenfell’s strength remains in its forwards, a huge pack led by another former NRL player in Josh Bateman.
“It’ll be a physical game, it always is against Grenfell. Right across the park they’re a big side, and a pretty smart team,” Hall said.
“Our bench is key this weekend. We didn’t have too many front-rowers last time we played, we really lacked there.
The drought has been pretty demoralising up this way, so it’s pretty uplifting having the team do so well.
- Trundle captain-coach Adam Hall.
“Hopefully our bench brings some energy with a few big boys. “
Hall was expecting a strong amount of home support for Trundle’s last game at Berryman Oval in 2018, with a rugby league major semi-final a timely outlet for the community.
“The drought has been pretty demoralising up this way, so it’s pretty uplifting having the team do so well,” Hall said.
“All the farmers feed their sheep in the mornings, so we expect a few people there on Sunday.”
Trundle takes on Grenfell at Berryman Oval on Sunday, while in the curtain-raisers youth league big guns Manildra faces Canowindra and minor premiers Cargo tackle Grenfell’s Girl-annas in the league tag major semi-final.
On Saturday, in the minor semi-finals at Canowindra, Trundle plays Cargo (youth league), Eugowra takes on Manildra (league tag) and Eugowra will battle Manildra (first grade) in elimination games.
FIRST GRADE TEAMS:
MAJOR SEMI-FINAL:
- TRUNDLE BOOMERS: 1 Linc Taylor, 2 Clay Hartin, 3 Ryan Porter, 4 Josh Vanderstok, 5 Pat Jones, 6 Adam Porter, 7 Brad Watt, 8 Jacob Brady, 9 Cameron Skinner, 10 Blake Ridges, 11 Israel Symington, 12 Hayden Robinson, 13 Adam Hall; Bench: 14 Sam Bolam, 15 Jock Wright, 16 Mahe Fangupo, 17 Jarrod Hall, 18 Graeme Taunton, 19 John Allan, 20 Jesse Durning.
- GRENFELL GOANNAS: 1 Dan Harveyson, 2 Mitch Stevens, 3 Stephen Ingram, 4 Sam Ingram, 5 Phil Ingram, 6 Ricky Whitton, 7 Ty Ashe, 8 Jarryd Foley, 9 Joe Herden, 10 Brendan Hewen, 11 Ben Abbott, 12 Josh Liebich, 13 Josh Bateman; Bench: 14 Steve Taylor (c), 15 Dean Coldicott, 16 Ben Armstrong, 17 Peter Frazer, 18 Sebastian Holz, 19 Jono Roberts, 20 Matt Reid.
MINOR SEMI-FINAL:
- MANILDRA RHINOS: 1 Kaleb Mullins, 2 Zac Reamer, 3 Jayden Fahy, 4 Grant Williams, 5 Hamish Cowley, 6 Mitch Gibson, 7 Craig Tarr, 8 Jack Gibson, 9 Jake Mullins, 10 Simon Osborne, 11 Mitch Gallagher, 12 Harry Gersbach, 13 Brock Campbell; Bench: 14 Hugh Gibson, 15 Blake Gibson, 16 Josh Annis-Brown, 17 Shaun Mullins, 18 Ethan Black, 19 Jesse Astill, 20 Harry Pearce.
Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
